AboutTed Ritter Expertise I have more than 26 years experience as toyota technician, I will be able to answer most questions related to the toyota product line up to the present year models, I specialize in difficult to diagnose problems but when posting a question please keep in mind that some situations require the used of special test equipment and diagnostic procedures especially as the newer models become more technologically advanced, so without actually having the car on hand I may only be able to try to steer you in the right direction and in some cases may have to refer you to the toyota dealer but at least you will know what you may be dealing with. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, I will have an answer for you in most cases. When posting a question keep in mind that I reside in the US, although I get questions from all over the world I may not have an answer for models that are not sold in the US, I will do a reasonable search to try to match your model to the US model,please refrain from asking about diesel powered vehicles, I have no information for them. In most cases I will not answer questions about major modifications of OEM components, engine swapping or aftermarket products,please post a question not a statement, please provide enough basic information such as year, model, what engine and if anything has already been done to fix the problem, the more information I get the more I can help without having to ask you more questions.
Experience Toyota technician since 1979,expert in electrical systems,OBD systems,engine repair, driveability problems,EFI systems,ASE certified,Toyota master technician. Certified Hybrid Vehicle technician.
Education/Credentials Toyota master technician, ASE certified in eight catagories, Hybrid vehicle certified.
Question I own a Toyota rav4 manual transmission 4 door. I have been having problems with the headlights. Sometimes they turn on at random times during the day or night the relay will sometimes make a sound when they turn on. Today my car battery was dead, and i tried to turn on the headlights but they wouldn't turn on at all. so my question is, is this a sign to replace the headlights or the relay? or could this be a bigger electrical problem?
there is not a Toyota dealership in my town, are there any other options to get a diagnosis
Answer You could try replacing the headlight relay and see if it helps, diagnosisng electrical problems can be difficult because it requires using volt/ohm meters to check circuits and voltages and resistances. If replacing the relay doesn't help I would recommend finding a decent repair shop that has a technician with electrical troubleshooting experience.
